African Action Congress (AAC), on Wednesday, called on Inspector-General of Police, IGP kayode Egbetokun and the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Nnaghe Obono Itam to stop officers from extorting motorists plying the State.
According to the party, the police and other law enforcement agents usually stationed at checkpoints have turned Anambra State and the rest of South East geopolitical zone to cash cow while insecurity kept on ravaging the entire zone.
The State Chairperson of AAC, Comrade Chioma Ifemeludike, who raised this concern at a press conference in Awka, Anambra State capital, urged the relevant authorities to checkmate the anomaly and bring lasting peace to the zone.
According to Ifemeludike, this called for the officers to be called to order, while their welfare should be improved upon as better salaries and incentives would make them to stop such illegalities.
“It is dangerous and reckless to hand guns to police officers whose basic and social
requirements are not well taken care of leaving citizens at their mercy. Anambra State has become a cash cow for the police. They do it boldly and no one is holding them accountable. They even give out changes to the motorists without shame.
“Anambra people must join hands to pressure the government to do the right thing at the right time. We must start holding them accountable so they can do the right thing now. Our youths have been battered. We must sit up and demand for the police and the Government to deliver on their mandate,” she lamented.
The party further called on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to wake up to address the insecurity ravaging the State, lamenting that if allowed to continue, socioeconomic development and others would be impeded because nothing thrives in atmosphere of chaos.
She said the party would no longer keep quiet while the citizens lives were wasted for nothing, adding that they would mobilise their members and other citizenry to launch social media campaigns geared towards mobilising the populace to take ownership of the security and secure Anambra State from crimes and criminalities.
“These men of the underworld have caused mayhem, pain and suffering to the
physical, financial and emotional well-being of the good, hardworking and law abiding citizens of the state. This menace is suffocating and almost crippling business activities in the state.
“Anambra State known as the light of the nation seems to be struggling with darkness of insecurity and fear of the unknown terror gangs. It has gotten so bad that people now avoid to travel or disguise when they are visiting homes. This is totally unacceptable and we hold the government of Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo responsible as the chief Executive in the state whose major duty is to secure lives.
“We urge governor Soludo to take charge and be proactive with matters that affect security of lives in the state as this is the bedrock of commercial activities, growth and development in our dear state. The mental and psychological state of Anambra populace is our utmost interest and we will do anything and everything in our possible best to make sure our people are safe and sound.
“We will defend our ancestral lands against intruders. We will not run away from unscrupulous elements both the official and unofficial, the masked and unmasked, the ones on uniform and the ones running criminal network. We warn that we will use every tool available to us.
“The African Action Congress, Anambra state chapter highlights the major issues of insecurity in Anambra state right after the state Governor declared a state of
emergency which seems like a mere political statement or lip service due to
government’s inability to effect any obvious change in securing lives of Ndi Anambra which is their utmost responsibility.
“In recent times, villages and communities in Anambra State have been ransacked and invaded by what we know today as unknown gun men, faceless men who have terrorised, oppressed, kidnapped in most cases murdered innocent citizens in cold. The once bubbling state and
nightlife environment where commuters and visitors travelled at anytime of the day
without any fear especially during the festive seasons have now come to an abrupt end,” she lamented.
